Edouarda A. "Edie" Opatrny

Edouarda “Edie” Vaplon was born on January 9, 1930 at home in rural Wabasha to Edward and Marie (née LaQua) Vaplon. She attended country school, and later graduated from St. Felix Catholic School in Wabasha. After graduation, she moved to St. Paul to enter the workforce. She met Joseph Opatrny, and later married him on May 20, 1950. They had two daughters, Mary (of Greenwald, MN) and Jean (of St.Paul). Edie and Joe celebrated 40 years of marriage before his passing in 1990. Edie was a devoted wife and mother. She had a deep Catholic faith, and showed the virtues of kindness, concern for others, and love for her family and friends. She was talented at needlework, especially knitting and crocheting, and at cooking at baking. Caring for her family, volunteering for church activities, knitting for the needy, gardening, being active in the VFW Auxiliary, and doing whatever she could to help others were all very important to her. Edie passed away on February 18, 2022. She is survived by her daughters; sister-in-law, Pat Vaplon; many nieces and nephews; and special family friend, Pat Murphy. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and brother, Thomas. A Mass of Christian Burial for Edie will be celebrated at the Church of St. Agnes, 548 Lafond Ave, St. Paul, on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10 AM. Visitation will take place at the church from 9-10 AM Wednesday. She will be privately buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery next to her husband, Joe.